This invention relates to a system for converting ordinary engines, fuel cells, and other energy conversion systems to interchangeable operation on fossil hydrocarbons and alternative fuels such as hydrogen, producer gas, natural gas, landfill gas, propane, and fuel alcohols. An engine fueling and control system is disclosed for greatly improving fuel efficiency while providing the option for cleaning the air by reducing exhaust emissions below the ambient level of objectionable contaminants.
Modern cities are plagued with problems from internal combustion engines that produce numerous objectionable atmospheric emissions and undesirable application characteristics including:
1. Engines burning hydrocarbons produce substantial volumes of carbon monoxide which is a dangerous poison.
2. Engines burning hydrocarbons produce oxides of nitrogen which combines in sunlight with airborne hydrocarbons to produce ozone and smog.
3. Engines burning hydrocarbons produce gases, vapors, and particulates that cause lung diseases.
4. Engines burning hydrocarbons produce emissions that cause acid rain and corrosion to engine components.
5. Most engines are dedicated to gasoline which is a fossil fuel. Using depletable fossil fuels causes economic inflation, scarcity, deprivation, and social conflict.
6. Efforts to overcome pollution from fossil gasoline and diesel fuels has centered on oxygenated fuels which are prepared by adding one or more alcohols and/or MTBE to gain oxygen for improved combustion. This has proven to offer marginal emissions improvements and remains objectionable because of odors and allergic responses by many to these chemicals.
7. In most cases, engines using oxygenated fuels suffer efficiency losses.
8. Diesel engines produce objectionable emissions of carbon-rich particulates.
9. Rapid application of energy from regenerative braking is a problem for virtually all vehicles including electric battery, flywheel, and engine based propulsion systems.
10. Additional efforts to overcome problems arising from undesirable fuel use in internal combustion engines include adoption of electric batteries and motors for supplying motive power. This approach causes the electricity generation system which is already recognized as the leading burner of fossil fuels and producer of carbon dioxide emissions to increase these undesirable activities.
11. Although oxygenated fuels show some improvement in reducing objectionable emissions more oxygen is needed in the combustion chamber to achieve needed reductions in pollutive emissions.
12. Mufflers represent considerable curb weight and expense while generally causing back pressure and fuel consumption problems.
13. Regenerative conversion of kinetic energy into stored energy during the stopping of a vehicle and efficient application of such stored energy poses difficult problems which are not solved by attempting to generate the compounds found in fossil fuels.
14. Rapid storage of renewable energy such as wind, hydro, wave and biomass energy for later efficient use poses difficult problems which are not answered by attempting to duplicate the generation of compounds found in fossil fuels.
An object of the present invention is to overcome the problems noted above which have the common denominator of fossil fuels. In accordance with the principles of the present invention, these objectives are accomplished by providing a process for operating a combustion engine to dependably produce products of combustion that are much less objectionable than present operation on gasoline.
An object of the invention is operation with substantially unthrottled air entry into the engine for purposes of increased volumetric efficiency, increased engine efficiency, increased presence of oxygen in the combustion chamber, and increased capacity for cleaning the air of polluted cities and other contaminated areas.
An object of the invention is to provide oxygen from chemical compounds for improved fuel combustion.
An object of the invention is to provide a low-cost, safe, renewable, fuel-supply system.
An object of the present invention is to provide the option for operating existing engines and producing life-sustaining breathable emissions.
An object of the present invention is to provide an oxidant supply such as chlorine, bromine, iodine, or oxygen for multiple uses and functions while supplying a fuel such as hydrogen by electrolysis of electrolytes such as salt water, sea water, water, and various other preparations.
An object of the invention is to provide much greater oxygenation of carbon constituents of hydrocarbon fuels than typical approaches of adding oxygen-containing ingredients such as alcohol and/or MTBE.
An object of the invention is to provide a fueling system that is quieter, more efficient, and safer than conventional approaches.
An object of the present invention is to greatly reduce the apparent area of exposure for degradation of the fuel storage system due to hazards such as collision, fire, corrosion, and projectile penetration.
A object of the invention is to eliminate particulate emissions from Diesel engines.
An object of the invention is to provide a fuel storage and delivery system that withstands severe abuse and exposure to weathering conditions.
An object of the invention is to provide a fueling system that provides fail-safe operational characteristics.
An object of the present invention is to provide a system for converting existing engine types including spark and compression ignition engines to cleaner and more efficient operation.
An object of the present invention is to provide a system for rapid conversion and storage of energy from regenerative braking and, recovery of such energy for useful applications such as a high-efficiency engine, fuel cell, or hybrid vehicle.